All teen and kid member reviews for Ender's Game

Kids say

Fantastic Movie!!

A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. The graphics are fantastic, the music is stunning. The characters are aged up a bit from where they are in the book, and the timeline is sped up a bit, but they managed to keep most of the details, and overall it was very impressive! The only thing I was a little bit disappointed with was how little they talked of Bean's past on the streets of Rotterdam, and the whole Locke/Demosthenes issue going on down on earth. But of course, a movie adaptation can't include everything, and it was still an extremely impressive and enjoyable movie. Go See It!

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!

im 9 and i saw it the day it came out. it was deficiently my FAVORITE M0VIE EVER!!!!!!! the only thing that i wanna tell you about is that its a little intense
and really hard to understand. i would recommend this movie for 9 and 10 year olds depending on you maturity

I've been waiting for this!!

As a huge fan of the book, ender's game didn't disappoint. Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield) is a troubled genius that is selected to train for the Inter national fleet years after the second alien attack. Cool strategy and action alongside great acting will keep you entertained, I say ages 9+ because the action is very stylized rather than realistic and they should be fine with the bathroom fight scene. You should go check it out if you haven't already. Grade A

Only the BEST young adult adaption EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!

I read the book several times, and this was an almost perfect adaption of it. Nothing important was cut out, and they captured all the exciting moments perfectly. Barely any language, Ender and Petra are just good friends, and only mild violence. The actors are very talented, and Ender, Valentine, and Petra are excellent role models for anyone. Great social messages. Read the book first, then SEE THE MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'll give it a 3.5/5

The film was a pretty good adaptation of the book, however, we had the young Nicolas Cage as Ender and the role of Dap was clearly written for Samuel L. Jackson. However, I am glad that the director (notable for his work on the horrible "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" has had a lesson-learned scenario and learned how to direct a movie. Ender is a positive role model as he is a character doesn't want to kill anybody, and wants to bring peace to the galaxy, however, there are positive messages as well, because it shows that peace isn't exactly easy... Violence is very large scale, similar to that of a summer movie, and the language and sex are pretty much combined. There's an occurrence of the word "smart ass", and there are two occurrences of sexual dialogue ("I'm a woman but I have more balls than this whole team", "Your mom cheated so now you look like a plumber") however, these are the same kind of dialogue that can be heard in Elementary age classrooms. Overall, if your kid's 8, he can probably handle the film.

One of the best films of 2013

This is arguably one of the best films of 2013, to be honest, the only sci-fi franchise i have liked is transformers but this has taught me that even people who hate that stuff can have a new opinion on sci-fi. Ender's Game is well though and planned, and perfectly executed. Harrison Ford was great in this film and the ending has a plot twist, overall very violent from the start and disturbing in some scenes. Great for everyone 11 and up

Void of social commentary or thought-provoking dialogue.

Some films are a missed opportunity, but this is a series of boring and repetitive missed opportunities. There are many chances for social commentary here, but they instead allude to it - not even directly address it - within two lines of dialogue. They could have discussed children's increased aggression, the younger generation's affinity with video games and their potential influences, or war draftings, but no. We instead get many, many scenes of awkward child actors playing futuristic war games over and over spliced with what comes off as a not-so-good Full Metal Jacket ripoff, what with the "everyone except one kid hates a main protagonist and the drill sergeant is brutal" routine. Speaking of which, none of the kids are that good. Even Asa Butterfield as the lead is awkward; there are many narration sequences where you can totally tell that he's reading his lines off of a piece of paper behind a microphone in a post production studio. Ben Kingsley shows up for a bit but he doesn't do much, nor does Viola Davis (who they desperately needed to showcase more). I guess I was surprised to see Harrison Ford not do his famous finger point, but whatever. If anything, the film successfully proves that movies don't necessarily need to be in 3D to be immersive. There are scenes with first-person shots and floaty sequences of battle that work, but the film's very repetitive setup and lack of much character overshadows that. 4.8/10, lame, two thumbs down, below average, etc.

Teacher

I haven't read or seen Ender's Game, but my 20 some year old teacher isn't afraid to talk about it. He seems to LOVE it. And during our DEAR reading time, he and an advanced reader (like me) read it. (My classmate read it on his Nook.) I'd say it depends on your child.

With its talented cast, though-provoking themes, and pulse pounding battle simulations, "Ender's Game" is a sic-fi flick with surprising depth and moral insight.

Although "Ender's Game" is based on a novel both CSM and I would agree should be reserved for moderately older readers, this film (directed by Gavin Hood, most notable for "X-Men Origins: Wolverine) should be suitable for most children, ranging from ages 10 to 12. There is one occurrence of minor profanity (Ender is recognized as a "smart-a--"), and there are two instances of minimally objectionable suggestive dialogue including the lines "I'm a woman and I have more balls than this whole team" and "Your mom cheated, so now you look like a plumber." Writers also chose to include words like "jerk," "coward," "crap," "oh my gosh," and "my god!" in the script. There is both personal and wide-scale violence in the movie. The movie opens with an explanation to how bug-like aliens killed millions of humans. Ender severely injures to different guys while defending himself against their personal attacks (the first fight is bloody and the second is a fist fight that ends with trauma). It's unclear wether either boy survives. Battle and Command school require require sparring and strategy games using weapons. An entire planet is destroyed, humans commit genocide against an alien nation. One minor surgery scene shows blood on a removed implant. Bonzo is obviously jealous of Ender spending time with Petra and commands him to stop training with her. Ender and Petra have a sweet friendship. They hold hands on occasion, and she confronts him when he's upset. We also see Ender (in the shower) from the waist up while naked and wearing just a towel. Overall, there is not much objectionable content present in "Ender's Game," therefore I think this should not be viewed by anyone age 9, although it's definitely a possibility for anyone age 10 and up.

Best movie of the year.

This is a really good movie definitely the best movie of the year so far. There are good messages about not giving up. not much language actors are really good and as for violence there is a bit like a kid falling and slamming his head on the corner of a shower. It stays pretty close to the book.

This was not the book

So this movie was ok, but to the book, it was nothing. I don't think they got a single thing accurate about the whole thing. This will be disappointing to those who have read the books, but to those who havent its pretty decent.

3 1/2 stars:

You know what two things are extremely similar? My enjoyment for Ender's Game the book and my enjoyment for Ender's Game the movie.
Let's start with the book, shall we? I read Ender's Game about a year ago. And I thoroughly enjoyed it from the first chapter to the last. Not only is it an entertaining story, but it also provided a canvas for Orson Scott Card to say deeper things about the tolls of war, the psychology of a leader, and the power of technology. In addition, it is a book that is well ahead of its time, in the way that it handles the World Wide Web. As I said, I liked the book from the first to the last chapter. BUT ... the book has an epilogue. And in this epilogue, the book completely lost me. After that last ending scene, I really had no desire to read any more of the Ender books.
And the movie is pretty much the same. I was entertained for the vast majority of the film. But then the last 10 minutes happened, and we're treated to Ender's mind becoming one with the aliens. It's a plot development that's going for a home run, a way to bring in one final philosophical idea. But for me, it just didn't connect at all.
Before we get to the plot, quick sidebar: For all those people making a huge fuss about boycotting this movie - are you doing anything to boycott the latest Roman Polanski movie? Nope? Didn't think so. People don't boycott Polanski's movies, they actively embrace them. Taking it a step further, renowned filmmakers including Martin Scorsese, Wes Anderson, Woody Allen, Darren Aronofsky, and Stephen Frears have all signed a petition to bring Polanski back to the States. So, child molestation is okay, but simply speaking up for a personal belief is boycott worthy... You can't have it both ways, but nobody seems to care.
Anyways, Ender's Game is the story of Ender Wiggins. At the end of its rope, humanity must turns to children for deliverance. Ender is enrolled in "Battle School," where he'll try to become the greatest commander Earth has ever seen. He must protect humanity from "The Formics." Ender must climb the ranks at an unsightly pace, if he want's to protect those he loves.
The movie does an exceptionally good job of bringing over a lot of what the novel has to offer. Sadly, the movie can't take the time to address the Valentine/Peter relationship, and that's the biggest thing missing. Other than that, the majority of Ender's story is in tact. And it's not just that much of the story is the same. The director and screenwriter, Gavin Hood, does an admirable job of capturing the essence of the book. We can feel the weight of the world as it slowly presses down on Ender. It's very well done.
And speaking of Gavin Hood, this movie is infinitely better than his atrocity of a super hero film, X-Men Origins: Wolverine. That was free.
My main problems with the movie rest in the aforementioned last 10 minutes (which is a fault of the source material, not the filmmaking itself). The pacing is a little slow at times. Some key/noticeable plot points aren't explained very well, such as Mazar's face tattoo thing, and the MD device. Now, if you've read the book, you can fill in the blanks and you know exactly what's going on. But if you haven't, you'll be pretty bemused at times. I'll get to my last problem in a second.
The cast, or the vast majority of it, is exceptional! Asa Butterfield, of Hugo fame, hits all the right notes as Ender. He can play the confusion, the superior intellect, and ultimately the moral tragedy of the character. After the big twist at the end, Butterfield really turns it up a notch. What might be the most impressive thing about the performance is the fact that Butterfield has to go toe to toe with actors like Harrison Ford, Ben Kingsley, and Viola Davis.
And speaking of those three, they all do what they can with what their given. Kingsley doesn't have a very large part, but he is Ben Kingsley after all. Viola Davis has the most thankless role as Major Anderson. But, like Kingsley, she has enough talent to make up for a bland character. Harrison Ford, on the other hand, has the meatiest role of the three. Colonel Graff, more than anybody else, is responsible for the final outcome of this story. Ford gives a performance that doesn't feel as phoned in as it could very well have been.
As for the other child actors, they are solid in limited roles. It doesn't hurt when you cast two Academy Award nominees as your main female characters. Abigail Breslin and Hailee Steinfeld give entirely well-done performances. Sadly, Breslin is limited to only two or three scenes ... a shame. Steinfeld has more to do in the story, and she does it well.
But the last problem I have with the movie lies in one of the villains (and one of the child actors). Moisés Arias (of Hannah Montana fame ... is that fame? I guess not.) just doesn't cut it as Bonzo. He's supposed to be this formidable, intimidating figure, but Arias is everything but. In all fairness, his acting isn't too too bad. But the main problem lies in the fact that Asa Butterfield and Hailee Steinfeld both look to be a good 7 or 8 inches taller than Arias. And the with that, the intimidation factor goes right out the window.
The action and special effects are top shelf. The scenes in the Battle Room are surprisingly exhilarating! That's the part of the novel I was most looking forward to seeing on screen, and it didn't disappoint. The visuals are a pleasure to look at, and there's never a weak moment on screen.
I bemoan the fact that James Horner was replaced as composer for this movie. In his place, we have the producers and the director demanding a completely derivative score. Steve Jablonsky's music for Ender's Game is a hodgepodge of previous musical efforts. Most noticeably, he completely rips off the Game of Thrones theme for his Battle School theme. It may be an imitative score, but that doesn't mean it's entirely ineffective in context. In a lot of places, Jablonsky's music does add a driving force to the images on screen.
I applaud Ender's Game for its high ambitions. I applaud it for capitalizing on the source material and reaching most of those high ambitions. I also applaud it for being a YA movie that doesn't pander to any crowd. Still, the film is not without its flaws. But at the end of the day, I'm completely fine with the final product. It's a movie that deserved to be made. It's a movie that I enjoyed watching. But, like the book, it's also something where I have no real desire for a sequel. As a standalone film (which is what this will be, as it turns out), I was pleased and entertained. Nothing more or less.
"In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him." 7/10

Wow... not as good as the book, but still great!

This movie was EPIC!!! As a person who only says "epic" when absolutely needed, this is a huge compliment. I go to school and ask my friends if they know what Ender's Game is, and I am always so surprised when some don't, as the movie seemed to be a smash hit. They left out some major scenes: Ender's friendship with Alai, Ender's rocky start with Bean, the Locke/Demosthenes plot, and of course the unforgettable fact that, in the book, he is 6 when he comes to Battle School for the first time.I would have wanted to see Valentine show her tough side, and the REAL way Ender comes across the Hive Queen (see the book Ender in Exile for the full story). I did, however, adore this movie for the things they did get right. For example, they DID manage his bad relationship with Peter, though I wish they would have expressed his constant fear of being like him. The positive message was kind of obvious: no matter what, you can do it (it being whatever). As for positive role models, Ender is the best one out there. He makes mistakes, but is always striving to fix them. The violence in the movie (more so for the books) is extreme. Children are killed by other children and there are wars with aliens in which millions of humans are killed, though there is no blood in either scene. There are people holding hands in the movie, though one of the things I adore about the movie/book is that there is no romance. If you want romance, go to the second book in the series, Speaker for the Dead, though there isn't much in that, either. Bad language isn't as frequent as it was in the book, though there is the words "crap" and "smart a**". This movie was a thoroughly enjoyable one (except for those few quirks that I stated at the top), and I plan on watching it again. Unfortunately (at least for those who, like me, have read all of the books and are obsessed with the Enderverse), there will be no "Speaker for the Dead" movie, at the author's request (at least this is what I heard). He claims that some violence can't be seen on the big screen (see the piggies disemboweling the humans). The books are a great read, though!

Enders game

The movie opens with a violent alien vs. human battle that takes place in the sky.Ender beats up two kids the first one is a little bit bloody the second one he almost kills him with a head trauma.Some laser beam fighting.The final battle scene has a lot of deaths and destruction including a planet and a whole alien race.

WOW.....JUST WOW!!!!!!!!!

OMG SUCH A GOOD MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!!!! The movie is about this boy and he has to go to a space boot camp to train to defeat this alien race. He is trained with other kids from the ages 11-15 to become the general that defeats these aliens, if I write anything more about the movie, it might be a spoiler. But it is kind of a sad movie. I forgot to include that there are some pretty violent fights throughout the movie but other wise it is appropriate.

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